Indictments: Marion man accused of sexual abuse of 15-year-old girl

MARION - A 32-year-old Marion man indicted Wednesday has been accused of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl multiple times this fall.

Joshua S. Higgins, 229 Edwards St., was indicted by a Marion County grand jury on one count of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor, a third-degree felony; one count of gross sexual imposition, a third-degree felony; and three counts of pandering sexually oriented matter involving a minor, all second-degree felonies, in Marion County Common Pleas Court.

An affidavit filed in Marion Municipal Court and signed by a Marion Police detective states that Higgins admitted to having sex with the 15-year-old girl. The document accuses Higgins of assaulting the girl at least 30 times in August and September.

Higgins also is accused of filming two of the times he assaulted the girl, according to the affidavit. In a third video, a man believed to be Higgins is seen sexually abusing a 2-year-old girl, the affidavit says.

Higgins is being held at the Multi-County Correctional Center in Marion. Online court records show that Higgins is being held on a $1 million cash or surety bond.

He is scheduled to appear for arraignment on Monday.

The grand jury also returned indictments against the following people:

• Olajauwon Wilkes, 22, 317 S. Vine St., was indicted on one count of felonious assault, a second-degree felony, and one count of domestic violence, a fourth-degree felony.

• Timothy White, 48, 1060 W. Main St. Lot B, was indicted on one count of possession of cocaine, a fifth-degree felony; one count of illegal conveyance of drug of abuse onto a detention facility, a third-degree felony; and one count of tampering with evidence, a third-degree felony.

• Thomas Simmons, 26, 319 Spring St., Upper Sandusky, was indicted on one count of failure to comply with order or signal of a police officer, a third-degree felony.

• Melissa Thomas, 47, 372 Kensington Place, was indicted on one count of failure to comply with order or signal of a police officer, a third-degree felony.

• Shan McNeal, 39, 280½ Patterson St., was indicted on one count of tampering with evidence, a third-degree felony.

• Joshua Mathais, 32, homeless, was indicted on one count of domestic violence, a fourth-degree felony.

• Christopher Holycross Sr., 29, 597 E. George St., was indicted on two counts of operating a vehicle under the influence, both fourth-degree felonies.

• Ricco Mcghee Jr., also known as Karon Mcgee, 18, homeless, was indicted on one count of failure to comply with order or signal of a police officer, a third-degree felony; one count of assault, a fourth-degree felony; and receiving stolen property, a fourth-degree felony.

• David Wayne Mahoney, 43, 545 Bellefontaine Ave., was indicted on one count of breaking and entering, a fifth-degree felony.

• Chelsie Allen-Schuster, 22, 288 E. Center St., 2-E, was indicted on one count of theft, a fifth-degree felony; and five counts of forgery, all fifth-degree felonies.